# defiled

/dɪfˈaɪld/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/defiled
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Definition

to make something dirty or impure, especially something people respect or treat as holy.

For teachers: to spoil the purity or sacred character of something; to make physically dirty or morally corrupt.

## Examples

- They have defiled the clean river with trash.
- Vandals defiled the war memorial with spray paint, and the town gathered to clean it the next morning.
- The invaders defiled the ancient temple, leaving sacred texts torn and walls blackened, a loss historians still describe with quiet anger.

## Usage notes

- Transitive and takes a direct object, often something sacred, pure, or respected.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.